Sleeping Beauty : global advertising self regulation awakens

The system of self regulation of advertising in mass-media was a dream scenario. If stakeholders complained and the advertisement was deemed offensive by an expert panel, it was an easy matter to withdraw the advertisement from mass media and from public attention. This was done locally, according to the cultural values and aesthetics of the population and the mandate of the self regulation board. To advertising regulators, the internet became their worst nightmare. The system of self regulation was no longer closed, and could be circumvented by placing the offending advertisements online. The system of self regulation was also no longer local, but global. All internet users had access to the same advertisements, regardless of cultural considerations. The awakening of global advertising self regulation is something that demands discussion. It is of value to all conference goers of AAA 2010 Europe, as it affects all advertising academics and all stakeholders in the advertising process. As the leading advertising body seeking to bring global advertising issues to a new venue in Europe, the AAA 2010 European Conference seems ripe for a special session on advertising self regulation. This is especially true as the panel contributes a European, US and Asia-Pacific viewpoint.

Image-based visual navigation for mobile robots

We introduce a new image-based visual navigation algorithm that allows the Cartesian velocity of a robot to be defined with respect to a set of visually observed features corresponding to previously unseen and unmapped world points. The technique is well suited to mobile robot tasks such as moving along a road or flying over the ground. We describe the algorithm in general form and present detailed simulation results for an aerial robot scenario using a spherical camera and a wide angle perspective camera, and present experimental results for a mobile ground robot.

Motivations for eWOM exchanges in an online community : self-development, problem solving support, relaxation

Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has gained significant attention from academics and practitioners since it has become an important source of consumers’ product information, which can influence consumer purchase intentions (Cheung & Lee, 2012). eWOM exchanges exist in two types of online communities: online communities of practice and online communities of interest. A few prior studies in online communities of interest have examined members’ motivations for product knowledge exchange (Hung & Li, 2007; Ma & Agarwal, 2007). However, there is a lack of understanding of member motivations for exchanging social bonds and enjoyment in addition to exchanging knowledge pertaining to products in the community. It is important to have an initial comprehension of motivation as an antecedent of these three eWOM exchanges so as to be able to determine the driving factors that lead members to generate eWOM communication. Thus, the research problem "What are the driving factors for members to exchange eWOM in an online community?" was justified for investigation. The purpose of this study was to examine different member motivations for exchanging three types of eWOM. Resource exchange theory and theory on consumer motivation and behavior were applied to develop a conceptual framework for this study. This study focused on an online beauty community since there is an increasing trend of consumers turning to online beauty resources so as to exchange useful beauty product information (SheSpot, 2011). As this study examined consumer motivation in an online beauty community, a web-based survey was the most effective and efficient way to gain responses from beauty community members and these members were appropriate samples from which to draw a conclusion about the whole population. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the relationships between member motivations and eWOM exchanges. It was found that members have different motivations for exchanging knowledge, social bonds, and enjoyment related to products: self-development, problem solving support, and relaxation, respectively. This study makes three theoretical contributions. First, this study identifies the influence of self-development motivation on knowledge exchange in an online community of interest, just as this motivation has previously been found in online communities of practice. This study highlights that members of the two different types of online communities share similar goals of knowledge exchange, despite the two communities evincing different attributes (e.g., member characteristics and tasks’ objectives). Further, this study will assist researchers to understand other motivations identified by prior research in online communities of practice since such motivations may be applicable to online communities of interest. Second, this study offers a new perspective on member motivation for social bonding. This study indicates that in addition to social support from friends and family, consumers are motivated to build social bonds with members in an online community of interest since they are an important source of problem solving support in regard to products. Finally, this study extends the body of knowledge pertaining to member motivation for enjoyment exchange. This study provides a basis for researchers to understand that members in an online community of interest value experiential aspects of enjoyable consumption activities, and thus based on group norms, members have a mutual desire for relaxation from enjoyment exchange. The major practical contribution is that this study provides an important guideline for marketing managers to develop different marketing strategies based on member motivations for exchanging three types of eWOM in an online community of interest, such as an online beauty community. This will potentially help marketing managers increase online traffic and revenue, and thus bring success to the community. Although, this study contributes to the literature by highlighting three distinctive member motivations for eWOM exchanges in an online community of interest, there are some possible research limitations. First, this study was conducted in an online beauty community in Australia. Hence, further research should replicate this study in other industries and nations so as to give the findings greater generalisability. Next, online beauty community members are female skewed. Thus, future research should examine whether similar patterns of motivations would emerge in other online communities that tend to be populated by males (e.g., communities focused on football). Further, a web-based survey has its limitations in terms of self-selection and self-reporting (Bhatnagar & Ghose, 2004). Therefore, further studies should test the framework by employing different research methods in order to overcome these weaknesses.

Understanding body image disturbance in the promotion of mental health : a discourse analytic study

Health care interventions in the area of body image disturbance and eating disorders largely involve individual treatment approaches, while prevention and health promotion are relatively underexplored. A review of health promotion activities in the area of body image in Australia revealed three programmes, the most extensive and longest standing having been established in 1992. The aims of this programme are to reduce body image dissatisfaction and inappropriate eating behaviour, especially among women. Because health promotion is concerned with the social aspects of health, it was hypothesized by the authors that a social understanding of body image and eating disorders might be advanced in a health promotion setting and reflected in the approach to practice. In order to examine approaches to body image in health promotion, 10 health professionals responsible for the design and management of this programme participated in a series of semi-structured interviews between 1997 and 2000. Three discursive themes were evident in health workers' explanations of body image problems: (1) cognitive-behavioural themes; (2) gender themes; and (3) socio-cultural themes. While body image problems were constructed as psychological problems that are particularly experienced by women, their origins were largely conceived to be socio-cultural. The implications of these constructions are critically discussed in terms of the approach to health promotion used in this programme.

A multi-layered approach for site detection in UAS emergency landing scenarios using geometry-based image segmentation

This paper presents an alternative approach to image segmentation by using the spatial distribution of edge pixels as opposed to pixel intensities. The segmentation is achieved by a multi-layered approach and is intended to find suitable landing areas for an aircraft emergency landing. We combine standard techniques (edge detectors) with novel developed algorithms (line expansion and geometry test) to design an original segmentation algorithm. Our approach removes the dependency on environmental factors that traditionally influence lighting conditions, which in turn have negative impact on pixel-based segmentation techniques. We present test outcomes on realistic visual data collected from an aircraft, reporting on preliminary feedback about the performance of the detection. We demonstrate consistent performances over 97% detection rate.

A prospective longitudinal survey of fatigue self-management behaviors in patients with advanced cancer

Background: Fatigue is a distressing symptom experienced by approximately 74-88% of patients with advanced cancer. Although there have been advances in managing fatigue with the use of a range of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies, fatigue is not well-managed in patients with advanced cancer. Objectives: For patients with advanced cancer, the aims of the study were to examine the self-management (SM) behaviours associated with fatigue; the perceived effectiveness of these SM behaviours, and the socio-demographic and clinical factors influencing the effectiveness of these SM behaviours. Methodology: A prospective longitudinal study was undertaken with 152 patients with metastatic breast, lung, colorectal and prostate cancer experiencing fatigue (>3/10) over a two month period. SM behaviours associated with fatigue, medical/demographic characteristics, social support, depression, anxiety, self-efficacy and other symptoms were assessed. Results: Findings indicate that on most fatigue severity measures, levels of fatigue increased slightly over time. On average, participants used nine fatigue SM behaviours at each time point. Participants reported that the most effective SM behaviours were ‘pacing their activities during the day’, ‘planning activities to make the most of energy’, ‘taking short sleeps’, ‘doing things that distract them from their fatigue’, and ‘doing things to improve sleep at night’. Factors associated with the increased effectiveness of fatigue SM behaviours included higher self-efficacy, higher education level, lower levels of depressive symptoms, and lower functional status. These results can be used to inform the design of future interventions to support the use of effective fatigue SM behaviours in this population.

Governing self : SNSs as tools for self-formation

This thesis investigates how modern individuals relate to themselves and others in the service of shaping their ethical conduct and governing themselves. It considers the use of online social networking sites (SNSs) as one particular practice through which people manage their day-to-day conduct and understandings of self. Current research on the use of SNSs has conceptualised them as tools for communication, information-sharing and self-presentation. This thesis suggests a different way of thinking about these sites as tools for self-formation. A Foucaultian genealogical, historical and problematising approach is applied in order to explore processes of subjectivation and historical backgrounds involved in the use of SNSs. This is complimented with an ANT-based understanding of the role that technologies play in shaping human action. Drawing new connections between three factors will show how they contribute to the ways in which people become selves today. These factors are, one, the psychologisation and rationalisation of modern life that lead people to confess and talk about themselves in order to improve and perfect themselves, two, the transparency or publicness of modern life that incites people to reveal themselves constantly to a public audience and, three, the techno-social hybrid character of Western societies. This thesis will show how some older practices of self-formation have been translated into the context of modern technologised societies and how the care of self has been reinvigorated and combined with the notion of baring self in public. This thesis contributes a different way of thinking about self and the internet that does not seek to define what the modern self is and how it is staged online but rather accounts for the multiple, contingent and historically conditioned processes of subjectivation through which individuals relate to themselves and others in the service of governing their daily conduct.

Incongruence between self-reported and observed senior physical education teaching styles : an analysis using Mosston and Ashworth’s spectrum

Pedagogical styles, methods, models, practices or strategies are valued for what they claim they can achieve. In recent times curriculum documents and governments have called for a range of teaching approaches to meet the variety of learner differences and allow students to make more independent decision making in physical education (Hardy and Mawer, 1999). One well known system of categorizing teaching styles is the Mosston and Ashworth’s Spectrum of Teaching Styles (2002). In Queensland, prior to 2005, no research had been conducted on the teaching styles used by teachers of Physical Education. However, many teachers self-reported that they employed a variety of teaching styles depending on the aims and content of the material to be taught (Cothran, et al., 2005). This research, for the first time, collected teacher’s self-reported use of teaching styles and through observations verify the styles that were being used to teach Senior Physical Education in Queensland. More specifically the aims of the research were to determine: a) What teaching styles teachers of Senior Physical Education in Queensland believe they use? i) Were they using a range of teaching styles? ii) Were teachers of Senior Physical Education in Queensland using teaching styles that the Queensland Senior Physical Education Syllabus (2004) required? b) If Mosston and Ashworth’s (2002) Spectrum of Teaching Styles were used to categorise styles observed during the teaching of Senior Physical Education did the styles being used provide opportunities for evaluating as described by the Queensland Senior Physical Education Syllabus (2004)? The research was conducted in two phases. Part A involved use of a questionnaire to determine the teaching styles Queensland teachers of Senior Physical Education reported using and how often they reported using them. The questionnaire was administered to 110 teachers throughout Queensland. The sample was determined from 346 schools teaching Senior Physical Education (in 2006) across the state of Queensland, Australia. 286 questionnaires were sent to 77 non-randomised schools. There were 66 male and 44 female respondents in the sample. A wide range of teaching styles were reportedly used by teachers of Senior Physical Education with Practice Style-Style B, Command Style-Style A and Divergent Discovery Style-Style H, the most reportedly used. The Self-Teaching Style-Style K was reportedly used the least by teachers involved in this study. From the respondents a group of teachers were identified to form the participants for Part B. Part B of the study involved observation of a group of volunteer participants (from those who had completed the questionnaire) who displayed many of the ‘typical’ characteristics, and a cross-section of backgrounds, of teachers of Senior Physical Education in Queensland. In the case of this study, the criteria used to select the group of teachers to be observed teaching were, teaching experience (number of years: 0-4, 5-10 and 11 years and over), gender, geographical location of schools (focused on Brisbane and near area for travel/access purposes), profile of the students at schools (girls, boys or co-educational), nature of school (Government or Private) and the physical activities being taught in a school (activities to reflect all the areas of physical activity outlined within the syllabus). A total of 27 questionnaire respondents from Part A indicated that they were willing to be observed teaching practical lessons. The respondents who volunteered to be involved in Part B of the study came from different regions across the state of Queensland and was not confined to the Brisbane metropolitan area or large cities. From the group of people who volunteered for Part B four came from outside Brisbane and 23 from the Brisbane area. The final observation group of nine participants included eight teachers from the Brisbane area and one from a rural area. The characteristics of the final group included three females and six males from private and public schools with a range of teaching experience in years and a range of physical activities. Four year 12 and five year 11 teachers and their classes were videoed on three occasions as they progressed through an eight – nine week unit of work. This resulted in 24 hours 48 minutes and 20 seconds (or 4465 observations) of video teaching data which was subsequently coded by several researchers (99% interobserver reliability) to determine the teaching styles employed by the participants. This research indicated that, based on Mosston and Ashworth’s (2002) Spectrum of Teaching Styles, teachers of Senior Physical Education in Queensland used predominantly one style to teach 27 observed lessons. This is in sharp contrast to the variety of styles 110 teachers self- reportedly used and in spite of the Queensland Senior Physical Education Syllabus (2004) suggesting a range of specific styles be used. These results are discussed in the context of the Queensland Senior Physical Education Syllabus (2004), teacher knowledge of teaching styles and high-stakes curriculum and external pressures such as national testing and the publication of data from schools in tabloid newspapers. The data and findings in this research provide a rationale for improving teacher knowledge regarding teaching styles and the need for a clear definition of terminology in syllabus documents. Careful examination of the effects that the publishing of school data may have on teaching styles is advised. This research not only collected teacher’s perceptions of the teaching styles they believed they used it also verified these claims through direct observations of the teachers while teaching. These findings are relevant to syllabus writers, teacher educators, policy makers within education and teachers.

Pleading - self-incrimination and penalty privileges

In Anderson v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2012] QCA 301 the Queensland Court of Appeal allowed an appeal from the decision of the primary judge (ASIC v Managed Investments Ltd No 3 [2012] QSC 74. The Court of Appeal was satisfied that the defendants’ non-compliance with the pleading rules in the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) was justified by the claims to privilege against self-incrimination or exposure to a penalty.

Modelling users' contextual querying behaviour for web image searching

The rapid growth of visual information on Web has led to immense interest in multimedia information retrieval (MIR). While advancement in MIR systems has achieved some success in specific domains, particularly the content-based approaches, general Web users still struggle to find the images they want. Despite the success in content-based object recognition or concept extraction, the major problem in current Web image searching remains in the querying process. Since most online users only express their needs in semantic terms or objects, systems that utilize visual features (e.g., color or texture) to search images create a semantic gap which hinders general users from fully expressing their needs. In addition, query-by-example (QBE) retrieval imposes extra obstacles for exploratory search because users may not always have the representative image at hand or in mind when starting a search (i.e. the page zero problem). As a result, the majority of current online image search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, and Flickr) still primarily use textual queries to search. The problem with query-based retrieval systems is that they only capture users’ information need in terms of formal queries;; the implicit and abstract parts of users’ information needs are inevitably overlooked. Hence, users often struggle to formulate queries that best represent their needs, and some compromises have to be made. Studies of Web search logs suggest that multimedia searches are more difficult than textual Web searches, and Web image searching is the most difficult compared to video or audio searches. Hence, online users need to put in more effort when searching multimedia contents, especially for image searches. Most interactions in Web image searching occur during query reformulation. While log analysis provides intriguing views on how the majority of users search, their search needs or motivations are ultimately neglected. User studies on image searching have attempted to understand users’ search contexts in terms of users’ background (e.g., knowledge, profession, motivation for search and task types) and the search outcomes (e.g., use of retrieved images, search performance). However, these studies typically focused on particular domains with a selective group of professional users. General users’ Web image searching contexts and behaviors are little understood although they represent the majority of online image searching activities nowadays. We argue that only by understanding Web image users’ contexts can the current Web search engines further improve their usefulness and provide more efficient searches. In order to understand users’ search contexts, a user study was conducted based on university students’ Web image searching in News, Travel, and commercial Product domains. The three search domains were deliberately chosen to reflect image users’ interests in people, time, event, location, and objects. We investigated participants’ Web image searching behavior, with the focus on query reformulation and search strategies. Participants’ search contexts such as their search background, motivation for search, and search outcomes were gathered by questionnaires. The searching activity was recorded with participants’ think aloud data for analyzing significant search patterns. The relationships between participants’ search contexts and corresponding search strategies were discovered by Grounded Theory approach. Our key findings include the following aspects: - Effects of users' interactive intents on query reformulation patterns and search strategies - Effects of task domain on task specificity and task difficulty, as well as on some specific searching behaviors - Effects of searching experience on result expansion strategies A contextual image searching model was constructed based on these findings. The model helped us understand Web image searching from user perspective, and introduced a context-aware searching paradigm for current retrieval systems. A query recommendation tool was also developed to demonstrate how users’ query reformulation contexts can potentially contribute to more efficient searching.

Establishing design thinking : accident, program frameworks and personal practices

Distribution through electronic media provides an avenue for promotion, recognition and an outlet of display for graphic designers. The emergence of available media technologies have enabled graphic designers to extend these boundaries of their practice. In this context the designer is constantly striving for aesthetic success and is strongly influenced by the fashion and trends of contemporary design work. The designer is always in a state of inquiry, finding pathways of discovery that lead to innovation and originality that are highly valued criteria for self-evaluation. This research is based on an analysis of the designer perspective and the processes used within an active graphic design practice specializing entirely within a digital collage domain. Contemporary design methodologies were critically examined, compared and refined to reflect the self-practice of the researcher. The refined methodology may assist designers in maintaining systematic work practices, as well as promote the importance of exploration and experimentation processes. Research findings indicate some differences in the identified methodologies and the design practice of the researcher in the sense that many contemporary designers are not confined to a client-base but are self-generating design images influenced by contemporary practitioners. As well as confirming some aspects of more conventional design processes, the researcher found that accidental discoveries and the designer’s interaction with technology plays a significant part in the design process.

Robust image hash functions using higher order spectra

Robust hashing is an emerging field that can be used to hash certain data types in applications unsuitable for traditional cryptographic hashing methods. Traditional hashing functions have been used extensively for data/message integrity, data/message authentication, efficient file identification and password verification. These applications are possible because the hashing process is compressive, allowing for efficient comparisons in the hash domain but non-invertible meaning hashes can be used without revealing the original data. These techniques were developed with deterministic (non-changing) inputs such as files and passwords. For such data types a 1-bit or one character change can be significant, as a result the hashing process is sensitive to any change in the input. Unfortunately, there are certain applications where input data are not perfectly deterministic and minor changes cannot be avoided. Digital images and biometric features are two types of data where such changes exist but do not alter the meaning or appearance of the input. For such data types cryptographic hash functions cannot be usefully applied. In light of this, robust hashing has been developed as an alternative to cryptographic hashing and is designed to be robust to minor changes in the input. Although similar in name, robust hashing is fundamentally different from cryptographic hashing. Current robust hashing techniques are not based on cryptographic methods, but instead on pattern recognition techniques. Modern robust hashing algorithms consist of feature extraction followed by a randomization stage that introduces non-invertibility and compression, followed by quantization and binary encoding to produce a binary hash output. In order to preserve robustness of the extracted features, most randomization methods are linear and this is detrimental to the security aspects required of hash functions. Furthermore, the quantization and encoding stages used to binarize real-valued features requires the learning of appropriate quantization thresholds. How these thresholds are learnt has an important effect on hashing accuracy and the mere presence of such thresholds are a source of information leakage that can reduce hashing security. This dissertation outlines a systematic investigation of the quantization and encoding stages of robust hash functions. While existing literature has focused on the importance of quantization scheme, this research is the first to emphasise the importance of the quantizer training on both hashing accuracy and hashing security. The quantizer training process is presented in a statistical framework which allows a theoretical analysis of the effects of quantizer training on hashing performance. This is experimentally verified using a number of baseline robust image hashing algorithms over a large database of real world images. This dissertation also proposes a new randomization method for robust image hashing based on Higher Order Spectra (HOS) and Radon projections. The method is non-linear and this is an essential requirement for non-invertibility. The method is also designed to produce features more suited for quantization and encoding. The system can operate without the need for quantizer training, is more easily encoded and displays improved hashing performance when compared to existing robust image hashing algorithms. The dissertation also shows how the HOS method can be adapted to work with biometric features obtained from 2D and 3D face images.

Implementing the self-management threshold learning outcome in Australian legal curricula : insights from self-determination theory

In 2010, six Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLOs) for law were developed by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council's Discipline Scholars: Law. The final of these outcomes, TLO 6, concerns self-management. This thesis examines strategies for implementing self-management in Australian legal education by first contextualising the development of TLO 6 in light of other relevant national and international developments in higher education, and secondly, analysing this learning outcome through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), an influential branch of educational psychology. It is argued that the central concept of autonomous self-regulation in SDT provides insights into factors that are relevant to law students’ capacities for long-term self-management, which is reinforced by analysis of the literature on law students’ distress. Accordingly, curriculum design that supports students’ autonomy may simultaneously promote students’ self-management capacities. The discussion of theoretical and practical perspectives on autonomy supportive curriculum design in this thesis thus illuminates potential pedagogical approaches for the implementation of TLO 6 in Australian legal curricula.

Determinants of uptake of whole-body skin self-examination in older men

Early detection through whole-body Skin Self-Examination (wbSSE) may decrease mortality from melanoma. Using the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) or Health Belief Model (HBM) we aimed to assess determinants of uptake of wbSSE in 410 men 50 years of older who participated in the control group of a randomized trial. Overall, the HAPA was a significantly better predictor of wbSSE compared to the HBM (p < .001). The construct of self-efficacy in the HBM was a significant predictor of future wbSSE (p = .001), while neither perceived threat (p = .584) nor outcome expectations (p = .220) were. In contrast, self-efficacy, perceived threat, and outcome expectations predicted intention to perform SSE, which predicted behavior (p = .015). The HAPA construct volitional self-efficacy was also associated with wbSSE (p = .046). The use of the HAPA model for future SSE interventions for this population is warranted.

Development and validation of a new self-report instrument for measuring sedentary behaviors and light-intensity physical activity in adults

Background Low levels of physical activity and high levels of sedentary behavior (SB) are major public health concerns. This study was designed to develop and validate the 7-day Sedentary (S) and Light Intensity Physical Activity (LIPA) Log (7-day SLIPA Log), a self-report measure of specific daily behaviors. Method To develop the log, 62 specific SB and LIPA behaviors were chosen from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 32 sedentary volunteers to identify domains and behaviors of SB and LIPA. To validate the log, a further 22 sedentary adults were recruited to wear the GT3X for 7 consecutive days and nights. Results Pearson correlations (r) between the 7-day SLIPA Log and GT3X were significant for sedentary (r =.86, p < 0.001), for LIPA (r =.80, p < 0.001). Lying and sitting postures were positively correlated with GT3X output (r =.60 and r =.64, p < 0.001, respectively). No significant correlation was found for standing posture (r =.14, p = 0.53).The kappa values between the 7-day SLIPA Log and GT3X variables ranged from 0.09–0.61, indicating poor to good agreement. Conclusion The 7-day SLIPA Log is a valid self-report measure of SB and LIPA in specific behavioral domains.